Sunday, September 22, 2013

Sun Sep 22nd Todays News

Obama's abysmal foreign policy of dithering and bomb dropping has resulted in a world where Al Qaeda, whom he claimed defeated prior to the last election as he blamed Benghazi on a coptic film maker he knew wasn't the cause, has not been defeated but may be resurgent. An Al Qaeda affiliate attack on a shopping mall in Kenya is a kind of circle, where Al Qaeda had blown up an embassy while Clinton was President. Kenyans are not especially anti Islamic, but that isn't a problem with terrorists. At least 30 people have died and over 200 injured. Australians know of the terrorist group, their affiliates planned a hit on Holsworthy army barracks a few years ago. Obama's dithering and bombing isn't limited to world peace. An Israeli IDF soldier was murdered by a relative of a captured terrorist. Obamacare threatens the economy. A spoof is circulating that Obama had to be sedated. That last item has a crack force of Obama supporters working the internet correcting the meme, but it is so believable, although Biden as VP means it isn't desirable. Meanwhile in China a top party official has been sentenced to life for corruption .. In Australia the ALP are trying to adjust to life out of government without recognising they lost an election. Two prospective leaders are campaigning on not changing policy or direction, as a form of renewal. Recycling apparently means never having to wash dishes, which may be why they are so keen to have women in politics. Julie Bishop is a very impressive woman, writes Miranda Devine, and the ALP lament there are not enough after they slammed Sophie Mirabella. Meanwhile NSW state ALP and love media are assaulting Pru Goward for being responsible when the previous ALP Minister hadn't been. Mud sticks, and the ABC and SMH are suffering with circulation. Another media beat up involved an Australian ALP government assault on a mixed Australian/Italian family. According to the ALP pollsters, denial works, 15 seats were saved by an inept PM who replaced an inept PM. It is a dangerous message for an ALP seeking to reform.
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Piers Akerman – Saturday,September 21,2013 (9:37pm)

DESTRUCTION of the Fairfax media brand and what remains of “our” ABC’s reputation continues apace with the vendetta being pursued against Pru Goward, the NSW Family and Community Services (FACS) Minister.

Miranda Devine – Saturday,September 21,2013 (9:39pm)

RATHER than moaning about Julie Bishop being the only female in Cabinet, or slagging her off as a “token”, as Ita Buttrose did last week, ambitious women should take a leaf out of the Foreign Minister’s book.

She’s clearly doing something right.

In fact, Bishop, 57, is the most successful self-made woman in politics in Australia, having risen through the ranks on her own merits, without the assistance of the gender quota that a certain type of Labor woman enjoys.

To explain Bishop’s success it is instructive, first, to note how she describes her party leader Tony Abbott.

During the election campaign she explained Abbott’s success. He wasn’t a leader in the Great Man mould.

He was a “captain-coach”, who supported and united his team, in stark contrast to the disunity of his opponents.

He was “out on the field playing as hard as the rest of us,” Bishop said.

“But it’s when the game’s over … that Tony’s real talents come to the fore. He brings out the best in us.”

Abbott learned this valuable leadership lesson in 1986, when he was captain-coach-prop of Sydney University Rugby Fourths. There, he discovered “priceless insights into bringing the team with you,” he told me.

He proudly recalls that his team delivered the university its only First Division win between 1972 and 1999.

He managed to juggle the same role he’s had as Opposition Leader, both as a player focused on his own performance and a coach focused on his team.

When he left the club halfway through the 1990 season to work for John Hewson in Canberra, the Fourths remained undefeated.

His successor was more technically skilled. But one day Abbott came back to watch his old team, and went into the dressing room after they lost.

He heard the new coach telling the players they had lost because they didn’t have enough height in their second row. Abbott remembers thinking how pointlessly demoralising the comment was since the second row couldn’t grow three inches in a week.

He stood in the chilly locker room and rehearsed in his mind the speech he would have given the team if he were still coach: “You did great. The tactics just weren’t right. I’ll work on the tactics and we’ll do better next time.”

Even today, friends who ride bikes with him say Abbott senses when someone is falling behind the pack, and slows down to check they’re OK.

It was his childhood experience playing team sports such as rugby that helped give Abbott the leadership skills that have taken him to the nation’s highest office.

Julie Bishop, who was captain of her netball team at St Peter’s Collegiate Girls’ School in Adelaide, president of the debating club, as well as Head Prefect, understands the lessons of team sport just as instinctively.

As deputy to three Opposition Leaders in succession, she was criticised for disloyalty, and dubbed “cockroach”. In fact, she was being the quintessential team player. The captain might change but the team goes on.

One of the problems for many women rising through the ranks of politics or the corporate world, is that, unlike Bishop, they don’t understand how to be team players.

For most men, it’s in their bones. They are programmed from childhood to harness personal ambition for the good of the team. They learn to submit to the immutable rules of a sport. They learn that competition is not personal.

Little girls are just as keen as boys on team sports. Yet fewer are given the chance to play - and to learn the lessons which are an unspoken requirement of high office.

Australia’s most successful businesswoman, Westpac CEO Gail Kelly, 57, had a similar sporty childhood to Bishop, playing hockey and competition tennis at St Mary’s Diocesan School for Girls in Pretoria. The 183cm-tall daughter of a Springbok instinctively understands the value of inclusive leadership.

Her husband, Allan, once told me the secret of her success.

“She has a laid-back approach … and, from (playing) sport, she knows how to be a team player.”

So there you have it.

Kelly and Bishop are not token women. Their success holds a valuable message for any woman hoping to climb the greasy pole: be a team player.

Miranda Devine – Saturday,September 21,2013 (9:37pm)

THERE was always something fishy about the overwrought scenes last year of four screaming girls, at the centre of a custody battle, being dragged onto a plane to Italy so they could be reunited with their father.

The histrionics of their mother, Laura Garrett, seemed phony to me.

So did her accusation that their Italian father, Tommaso Vincenti, was violent.

Now his version of events is coming out.

Sixty Minutes tonight airs a damning story about Garrett, an Australian who moved her daughters home in 2010, without Vincenti’s permission. The girls, aged 16, 15, 11, and 10, were forcibly returned to Italy in late 2012 on the orders of the Brisbane Family Court.

Former supporters Melissa and Troy Thomson claim Garrett manipulated the girls to reject Vincenti and staged the heartrending airport scenes for the media.

“They thought their father was a violent man [and] didn’t pay any child support,” says Troy. “They thought their father didn’t love them … The sad thing is, none of that was true.”

Melissa regrets helping Garrett. “I was made part of this by deception.”

Some of Garrett’s supporters continue a vendetta against Vincenti, reporting him to Italian police, sending Facebook messages to the girls to throw boiling water on him and destroy his car.

Italian social workers now are considering restricting the girls’ communication with their mother.

Mr Rudd saved Labor at least 15 seats, including those of enemies Wayne Swan, Warren Snowdon and Gary Gray…
In the months before the June 26 leadership coup, Labor’s pollster told
the party’s national office to expect negative swings as large as 18 per
cent…
It suggests Labor seats would have been reduced from 71 to 40, rather than the 55 it is now expected to hold…
The individual seat polling was conducted by Labor’s pollster UMR while Ms Gillard was still prime minister.

Somalia’s militant group al-Shabab claimed responsibility and said the
attack was retribution for Kenyan forces’ 2011 push into Somalia....
As night fell in East Africa’s commercial capital, hostages remained
inside the mall, but officials didn’t or couldn’t say how many....
The mall’s ownership is Israeli…
Frank Mugungu, an off-duty army sergeant major, said he saw four male
attackers and one female attacker. “One was Somali. The others were
black,” he said…
Nairobi’s mortuary superintendent, Sammy Nyongesa Jacob, said Africans,
Asians and Caucasians were among the bodies brought to the mortuary…
The gunmen told hostages that non-Muslims would be targeted, said Elijah
Kamau, who was at the mall at the time of the midday attack.
“The gunmen told Muslims to stand up and leave. They were safe, and non-Muslims would be targeted,” he said.
Jay Patel, who sought cover on an upper floor in the mall when shooting
began, said that when he looked out of a window onto the upper parking
deck of the mall he saw the gunmen with a group of people. Patel said
that as the attackers were talking, some of the people stood up and left
and the others were shot.

UPDATE
Utterly predictable that Islamists are involved. Yet just as predictable is that AFP copy in The Agedoes not mention the words “Muslim” or “Islam”:

Black-clad masked gunmen have attacked an upmarket shopping mall in the
Kenyan capital, killing around 20 people before barricading themselves
in the complex with hostages.
The gunmen were speaking in a foreign language and were seen executing a number of shoppers, a witness says.

UPDATE
The Age now carries Bloomberg copy making the al Qaeda link.

UPDATE

Thirty-nine people were killed
and 150 wounded in an attack on a Nairobi shopping mall, Kenyan
president Uhuru Kenyatta said in a televised address to the nation.

KENYAN troops are locked in a fierce
firefight with Somali militants inside an up-market Nairobi shopping
mall, in a final push to end a siege that has left 43 dead and 200
wounded, with an unknown number of hostages still being held.

Heavy gunfire could be heard as Kenyan security officials said they
were attempting to kill or capture the remaining attackers and end to
the 22-hour-long bloodbath at the Westgate mall.
Somalia's
al-Qaida-inspired Shebab rebels said the carnage at the part
Israeli-owned complex mall was in retaliation for Kenya's military
intervention in Somalia, where African Union troops are battling the
Islamists.
After a day and night of sometimes ferocious gun
battles, security sources said police and soldiers had finally "pinned
down" the gunmen. The Kenyan Red Cross appealed for blood donations and
authorities urged residents to steer clear of the area.
"We are
still battling with the attackers and our forces have managed to maroon
the attackers on one of the floors," said Kenyan military spokesman
Colonel Cyrus Oguna.

Tell your family, tell your friends, tell your enemies, tell everybody you can think of: NationalReport.net is a fake news site. Everything they publish, including the above article claiming that President Obama has suffered a nervous breakdown, is, according to their own former disclaimer page (deleted a couple of weeks ago without explanation), satire.

LABOR'S mea culpa on welfare cuts to sole parents has come too little too late for single mothers battling to survive on $35-a-day dole payments.

The two men vying for the federal Labor leadership - Bill Shorten and Anthony Albanese - have admitted the party did the wrong thing when it implemented welfare cuts this year.

They say the party needs to revisit its policy stance, but single mothers say it's cold comfort.

In January, tens of thousands of single mothers, many working part time, were shifted off parenting payments and onto the unemployment benefit, Newstart, leaving many between $60 and $100 a week worse off.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way.(Psalm 37:23, NKJV)You don’t have to worry about your future. You don’t have to try to make things happen in your own strength. You can go through the day in peace because God knows exactly what you need. In your future, He has already lined up the right people to meet you.God will cause you to come in on cue. And if for some reason it doesn’t work out, don’t get all discouraged. Don’t get depressed. That just means that God has something better in store. It means He has a bigger opportunity in your future. He orders your steps, so keep your faith and trust in Him.God bless you.

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===AL QAEDA VOWS TO SUICIDE BOMB EVERYONE WHO OPPOSES THEM AND TO SET ALL CHRISTIANS ON FIRE.

OBAMA JUST GAVE THEM $1.5 BILLION IN AID.give Obama another sedative .. ed
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Americans who are fed up with Obamacare won a victory yesterday. The House voted to defund Obamacare while still funding the federal government to avoid a “devastating” shutdown. (I shall not digress, but it’s beyond distressing to hear liberals try to convince Americans that any government slowdown is comparable to “terrorism.”)

Now the battle goes to the Senate, and we’ll find out if Harry Reid is so committed to the horrendous “Un-affordable Care Act” that he’ll be the one to shut down the government to fund the unworkable Obamacare.

Let’s be clear. Republicans in Congress aren't advocating a government shutdown. That’s why they voted in the House to fully fund our bureaucracy while defunding Obamacare. The conservatives in Congress are listening to the majority of Americans who do not want Obamacare.

Following the will of the people is apparently a novel idea in D.C. these days. Just ask Senator Ted Cruz and his liberty-loving posse on Capitol Hill who have led the charge to defund Obama’s train wreck.

The murder victim has been identified as Sgt. Tomer Hazan, of Bat Yam. He served in the Israel Air Force. His funeral will take place Sunday afternoon at the Holon military cemetery.

The terror suspect, who is in custody, told security forces he led the victim, with whom he worked together in a restaurant in Bat Yam, to the West Bank, where he committed the murder.

He then hoped to secure the release of his brother – an incarcerated terrorist arrested in 2003 for being part of a suicide bombing attack cell – by offering to return the soldier.

Security forces believe the suspect planned to deceive Israel by not notifying them that he had killed the soldier before reaching an agreement to release his brother.Part of Obama's peace process .. free killers, then they kill for free. - ed
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THE exclusion of Jack Klugman from an Emmy Awards tribute that includes Cory Monteith is an insult to the memory of the late TV veteran and three-time Emmy winner who starred in The Odd Couple and Quincy M.E., Klugman's son says.

"I think it's criminal," said Adam Klugman in an interview with The Associated Press. "My dad was at the inception of television and helped build it in the early days."

Ceremony producers announced this week that five individual salutes would be included on Sunday night's Emmy show in addition to the traditional "in memoriam" segment that groups together industry members who died in the past year.

Besides Monteith, the Glee star who died in July of a heroin and drug overdose, those to be honoured include The Sopranos star James Gandolfini; Jean Stapleton of All in the Family; comedian and actor Jonathan Winters; and Family Ties producer Gary David Goldberg.

Monteith, who was 31 when he died, is by far the youngest of the group. All the others are Emmy winners, while he had yet to be nominated in his abbreviated career.

Emmy nominees who died last year and won't be accorded separate tributes include Larry Hagman of Dallas and Charles Durning of Evening Shade.

Hagman, Durning and Klugman will be included in the group remembrance, an academy spokesman said Friday. The ceremony at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles airs live on Fox8 from 10am AEST time Monday.

The Cult of the Suicide Bomber (2012) DocumentaryRobert Baer, a decorated, former Middle East CIA Agent for over two decades, one of the few professional researchers on this subject.

Their devastating and deadly actions punctuate the world news almost nightly, yet they remain faceless figures amidst the violence and turmoil that engulf the Middle East. Robert Baer returns to his former center of operations, the Middle East, to trace the origins of the modern day bomber, Iran. In this poignant documentary, Baer reveals the fascinating story of the world’s first suicide bomber, 13-year-old Hossein Fahmideh–who was martyred in the Iran-Iraq war and is now a hero in Iran; and visits his highly decorated grave in the graveyard of martyrs just outside Tehran.

The last thing the Jordanians want to see is hundreds of thousands of Palestinians move from the West Bank or Gaza Strip into the kingdom. Understandably, the Jordanian monarch cannot go public with this stance for fear of being accused by Arabs and Muslims of treason and collaboration with the "Zionist enemy."

But the question is whether Jordan really wants to have Palestinians on its borders.

In private off-the-record meetings, top Jordanian officials make it crystal clear that they prefer to see Israel sitting along their shared border.

Speaking at a university graduation ceremony in Jericho, Abbas stated that the borders of the Palestinian state would stretch from the Dead Sea in the south and through the Jordan Valley all the way up to the town of Bet She'an in the north.

"This is a Palestinian-Jordanian border and that is how it will remain," Abbas said. "The responsibility for security along the border will be in the hands of the Palestinians."

Abbas's remarks came in wake of leaks by Palestinian officials to the effect that at the current US-sponsored secret peace negotiations, Israel is demanding full control over the border with Jordan in any peace settlement with the Palestinians.

Israel, of course, has its own reasons for refusing to cede control over the strategic Jordan Valley.

Israel's main concern is that the border with Jordan will be used by Palestinian terror groups and Islamist fundamentalist organizations to smuggle weapons and terrorists into the West Bank and Israel.

However, there's another reason why Israel remains strongly opposed to surrendering control over its border with Jordan to the Palestinian Authority or a third party.

It is no secret that the Jordanians have long been worried about the repercussions of the presence of Palestinians on their border.

In a recent closed briefing with a high-ranking Jordanian security official, he was asked about the kingdom's position regarding the possibility that Palestinians might one day replace Israel along the border with Jordan.

"May God forbid!" the official retorted. "We have repeatedly made it clear to the Israeli side that we will not agree to the presence of a third party at our border."

The official explained that Jordan's stance was not new. "This has been our position since 1967," he said. "The late King Hussein made this clear to all Israeli governments and now His majesty, King Abdullah, remains committed to this position."

Jordan's opposition to placing the border crossings with the West Bank under Palestinian control is not only based on security concerns.

Of course, Jordan's security concerns are not unjustified, especially in light of what has been happening over the past few years along the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.

The Egyptians are now paying a heavy price for neglecting their shared border with the Gaza Strip over the past few decades. This lapse has seen Sinai emerge as a hotbed for Al-Qaeda-linked terror groups that are now posing a serious threat to Egypt's national security.

Besides the security concerns, the Jordanians are also worried about the demographic implications of Palestinian security and civilian presence over the border.

Their worst nightmare, as a veteran Jordanian diplomat once told Israeli colleagues during a private encounter, is that once the Palestinians are given control over the border, thousands of them from the future Palestinian state would pour into Jordan.

The Jordanians already have a "problem" with the fact that their kingdom's population consists of a Palestinian majority, which some say has reached over 80%. The last thing the Jordanians want is to see hundreds of thousands of Palestinians move from the West Bank or Gaza Strip into the kingdom.

Although the Jordanians are not part of the ongoing peace talks between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, they are hoping that Israel will not rush to abandon security control over its long border with the kingdom. Understandably, the Jordanian monarchy cannot go public with its stance for fear of being accused by Arabs and Muslims of treason and collaboration with the "Zionist enemy."

The Egyptians today know what the Jordanians have been aware of for a long time -- that a shared border with Fatah or Hamas or any other Palestinian group is a recipe for instability and anarchy. The Egyptians surely miss the days when the Israel Defense Forces were sitting along the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.

Even if Abbas's forces initially manage to maintain security and order along the border with Jordan, there is no guarantee as to what would happen in the future.

Between 2005 and 2007, Abbas's security forces were in control of the main border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt -- before they were expelled by Hamas.

It is in Israel's interest to have stability and calm in Jordan. Undermining Jordan's security would create many problems for Israel. To prevent such a scenario, Israel, if and when it reaches a deal with Abbas's Palestinian Authority, needs to take King Abdullah's fears and interests into consideration.

===Midnight at Mirror Lake

Hiking to this spot in the dead of night, in bear country is a little unnerving, but worth it.

===A & Z PearlsDavid Daniel BallLeave it on my pillow .. I'll be forewarned ..
===18 KARAT GOLD, BLACKENED GOLD, COLOURED DIAMOND, DIAMOND, CITRINE AND RUBY DOG BROOCH, RENÉ BOIVIN, FRANCE
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===WASHINGTON: Iran’s new President Hassan Rowhani described Israel as an “occupier” which has brought instability to the Middle East but said the Islamic republic did not seek war with any country.In the second part of an exclusive interview with US broadcaster NBC aired Thursday, Rowhani also deflected a question on whether, like his predecessor, he believed the Holocaust was a myth.But he said Tehran was not seeking war but rather peace in the region.“We believe in the ballot box. We do not seek war with any country. We seek peace and friendship among the nations of the region.”He branded archfoe Israel an “occupier” that “does injustice ... and has brought instability to the region with its warmongering policies.”When asked about the Holocaust, he said: “I’m not a historian. I’m a politician.”The interview aired just days before Rowhani travels to New York for the UN General Assembly.Tehran could prove it by disarming Hamas & Hezbollah, pull its forces out of Iraq , stop promoting war in Bahrain, Yemen , Sudan, Egypt , and a few other places
===(¯`v´¯)Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒॐ •..•(¯`v´¯)Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ. . . . ॐ •..•Wishing you Love & Light.Rimonim-Pomegranates ~ Albert Benroya
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==="I will not negotiate over the full faith and credit of the United States. I will not allow anyone to harm this country’s reputation, or threaten to inflict economic pain on millions of our own people, just to make an ideological point." —President Obama on House Republicans' threats to shut down the government and default on our debt:http://at.wh.gov/p4aNBbut it isn't merely action or inaction .. it is choice, and you chose poorly, often. - ed
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FEATURED VIDEOS

International law is on Israel's side. Watch the video to understand why!

This must be one of the best video presentations that clearly explains international law and the legal case for Israel and Israel's presence in Judea and Samaria. Definitely watch this to have a better understanding of international law so you can talk about Israel's situation intelligently with others.

What a unique honey dish! People will want to ooh and aah over it whenever they see it! The pomegranate form (a classic Jewish decorative motif) has been decorated with 24K gold plating in places, as well as numerous highlights of iridescent enamel and Amber crystals.

Morning

How heart-cheering to the believer is the delight which God has in his saints! We cannot see any reason in ourselves why the Lord should take pleasure in us; we cannot take delight in ourselves, for we often have to groan, being burdened; conscious of our sinfulness, and deploring our unfaithfulness; and we fear that God's people cannot take much delight in us, for they must perceive so much of our imperfections and our follies, that they may rather lament our infirmities than admire our graces. But we love to dwell upon this transcendent truth, this glorious mystery: that as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so does the Lord rejoice over us. We do not read anywhere that God delighteth in the cloud-capped mountains, or the sparkling stars, but we do read that he delighteth in the habitable parts of the earth, and that his delights are with the sons of men. We do not find it written that even angels give his soul delight; nor doth he say, concerning cherubim and seraphim, "Thou shalt be called Hephzibah, for the Lord delighteth in thee"; but he does say all that to poor fallen creatures like ourselves, debased and depraved by sin, but saved, exalted, and glorified by his grace. In what strong language he expresses his delight in his people! Who could have conceived of the eternal One as bursting forth into a song? Yet it is written, "He will rejoice over thee with joy, he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing." As he looked upon the world he had made, he said, "It is very good"; but when he beheld those who are the purchase of Jesus' blood, his own chosen ones, it seemed as if the great heart of the Infinite could restrain itself no longer, but overflowed in divine exclamations of joy. Should not we utter our grateful response to such a marvellous declaration of his love, and sing, "I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation?"

Evening

Fear made David pray thus, for something whispered, "Perhaps, after all, thou mayst be gathered with the wicked." That fear, although marred by unbelief, springs, in the main, from holy anxiety, arising from the recollection of past sin. Even the pardoned man will enquire, "What if at the end my sins should be remembered, and I should be left out of the catalogue of the saved?" He recollects his present unfruitfulness--so little grace, so little love, so little holiness, and looking forward to the future, he considers his weakness and the many temptations which beset him, and he fears that he may fall, and become a prey to the enemy. A sense of sin and present evil, and his prevailing corruptions, compel him to pray, in fear and trembling, "Gather not my soul with sinners." Reader, if you have prayed this prayer, and if your character be rightly described in the Psalm from which it is taken, you need not be afraid that you shall be gathered with sinners. Have you the two virtues which David had--the outward walking in integrity, and the inward trusting in the Lord? Are you resting upon Christ's sacrifice, and can you compass the altar of God with humble hope? If so, rest assured, with the wicked you never shall be gathered, for that calamity is impossible. The gathering at the judgment is like to like. "Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn." If, then, thou art like God's people, thou shalt be with God's people. You cannot be gathered with the wicked, for you are too dearly bought. Redeemed by the blood of Christ, you are his forever, and where he is, there must his people be. You are loved too much to be cast away with reprobates. Shall one dear to Christ perish? Impossible! Hell cannot hold thee! Heaven claims thee! Trust in thy Surety and fear not!

Today's Old Testament reading: Ecclesiastes 7-9

Wisdom

1 A good name is better than fine perfume,and the day of death better than the day of birth.2 It is better to go to a house of mourningthan to go to a house of feasting,for death is the destiny of everyone;the living should take this to heart.3 Frustration is better than laughter,because a sad face is good for the heart.4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.5 It is better to heed the rebuke of a wise personthan to listen to the song of fools.6 Like the crackling of thorns under the pot,so is the laughter of fools.This too is meaningless....

Today's New Testament reading: 2 Corinthians 13

Final Warnings

1 This will be my third visit to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” 2 I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent: On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others, 3 since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. 4 For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him in our dealing with you.

5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? 6 And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. 7 Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. 8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. 9 We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is that you may be fully restored. 10 This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down....

1. The son of Nun and successor of Moses and author of the book bearing his name. He is also called Hoshea (Num. 13:8, 16; Deut. 32:44).

The Man Who Was a Soldier-Saint

Joshua has been rightly called, "The first soldier consecrated by sacred history." A profitable way of studying his profile is to think of him in the following roles:

As a Son . Joshua was the son of Nun - a name meaning "prosperity, durable" - and of the tribe of Ephraim. Nothing is known of his mother. One usually finds, however, a good and gracious woman in the background of a man who reaches a position of influence and honor. Without doubt, Joshua's parents feared the God of Israel, and he continued their godly influence.

As a Slave . Born during the weary years of bondage his nation suffered in Egypt under Pharaoh, Joshua knew something of the lash of the whip, the almost impossible task in the brick-fields, and the deep sigh of liberty. But little did he realize that although a slave, he would rise to become Israel's supreme leader and commander. He had witnessed the moral and social degradation of his countrymen brought about by the terrible idolatries of that time. Thus, when he came to the position of leadership, his solemn commands were colored by early experience (Josh. 24:15).

As a Soldier . Joshua was pre-eminent as a military leader who knew how to plan campaigns, discipline his forces, use spies, but above all, pray and trust in God. Many a general has closely studied Joshua's conquest of Canaan and followed his strategy. Read how he discomfited Amalek (Exod. 17:9-16)! He never stooped to pilfering and plunder. It was as true of him as of Sir Henry Havelock, of whom it was said, "He was every inch a soldier, and every inch a Christian." Joshua was first of all a good soldier of the Lord whom he encountered and obeyed as Captain of the Lord's host ( Josh. 5:13-15).

As a Servant. Joshua's victory over Amalek gave him the open door of further usefulness and responsibility. That he was prepared for the responsibilities of leadership is evidenced by the fact that because of his unswerving loyalty and devotion, he is called "the servant of Moses" (Num. 11:28; Josh. 1:1).

As a Spy. Joshua, along with eleven others, was chosen to search the land of Canaan (Num. 13:1-16 ). It was at this time that Moses changed his servant's name from Oshea or Hoshea, meaning "help" to Joshua, meaning "God's help" or "salvation." The changed name indicated the desire of Moses to lift the thoughts of the people Godward, and to lead them from reliance upon leaders to God's help. Along with Caleb, Joshua brought back a faithful report of the land, which the people rejected, and wandered thereby for forty years in the wilderness. But Joshua profited by such an experience (Josh. 2:1, 2).

As a Saviour . Moses, representing the Law, brought the people to the border of the land, but it took a Joshua (God's salvation) to take them into the land. Divinely commissioned for such a task, he was probably about eighty-five years of age when he assumed command at Shittim. What a saviour he was! How marvelously was he helped to roll away Israel's reproach and to lead them to possess their possessions! His conquests and victories are typical of all the Lord has made possible for His own.

As a Statesman . What magnanimity and unselfish statesmanship Joshua revealed! Once the division of the land was completed, he carried through the setting up of the Tabernacle, the appointing of the cities of refuge, the arrangement of the Levitical order and service, with the same precision and thoroughness that characterized his other work as Israel's Premier and leader.

As a Saint. Joshua's saintliness marked him out as Moses'successor (Deut. 34:9). What a soldier-saint he was!

No wonder his death at 110 years of age was deeply mourned and his eminent service universally acknowledged! The brief but noble epitaph of the historian is eloquent with meaning, "before Joshua, the servant of the Lord." Dead, he could yet speak, for the nation continued to serve the Lord all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua (Josh. 24:3).

2. A Beth-shemite, and owner of a field in the days of Eli (1 Sam. 6:14, 18).

Then Jesus said, Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28, NASB).

Friend to Friend

Our air conditioner was just not getting the job done. It only partially cooled the house, running night and day, doubling our already exorbitant electric bill. I called John, our friendly air conditioning repairman, with a desperate plea for help. When he came to the house, the first thing he did was remove the filter from the vent. It was filthy, completely covered by some nasty gray gunk! Changing the air filter had never been one of my top priorities, as evidenced by the dirt and hair-caked object in front of me.

With a disapproving scowl wrinkling his weathered face, John continued working, muttering under his breath. I pretended not to hear. He then removed the coil which proved to be the last straw for him. With a sigh of exasperation, John dramatically thrust the offensive coil in front of my face, pointed at the almost unrecognizable object and asked, "What is this?" My response was classic. "John, how am I supposed to know what that is? You're the air conditioning expert." He did not think the comment was funny.

In an attempt to avoid his scathing glare, I stepped forward and began to closely examine the obviously faulty coil. It was covered with layers of dog hair, compliments of our West Highland terrier and Australian cattle dog; cat hair, compliments of Sassy, Chocolate and Tiger; and dust, compliments of me!

John then proceeded to chastise me for not changing the filter more often and ended his discourse with an ominous explanation, "Mrs. Southerland, this unit was never meant to work under this kind of load. It's working as hard as it can, but it's not strong enough to do something it was never intended to do." John then replaced the air filter, cleaned out the coil along with our bank account, and left the scene of the crime. The electric bill went back down, the house was cooler than it had been in months, and the unit worked like it was supposed to work. I forgave him and learned a thing or two about burdens.

We come to Jesus, asking and trusting Him to save us from the eternal burden of sin, but we find it hard to believe that He can and will carry the burdens we deal with every day. We forget that He is our Shepherd and we are His sheep, totally dependent upon Him for every need - big and small.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters (Psalm 23:1-2).

Notice the words "makes me lie down." They are not a suggestion. The word used in this verse is "rabas," a Hebrew command meaning to rest; lay something down; to lay down in rest - securely and safely. God is commanding us to lay down our burdens and spiritually rest our souls in Him. It is important to note that the place of rest to which Jesus is referring - the Judean landscape - is not naturally a place I would describe as restful or replenishing. It is dry, parched, and sandy. A shepherd has to spend a great deal of time working the land; tilling it, cultivating it and planting it in order to grow the young, tender, green shoots of grass the sheep like best. The sheep graze on the finished work of the shepherd. The Shepherd of our souls wants us to rest in His finished work on the cross. If Jesus can save us, He can certainly handle every burden we will ever have. We simply have to make the choice to release each burden to Him.

Some days are harder than others. There are so many things that can get us down. Long hours at work, difficult relationships, financial difficulties, medical conditions, emotional stress and family responsibilities are just a few of burdens we tend to carry.

Then Jesus said, Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28, NASB).

In Matthew 11:28, the word "rest" literally means "tranquility in the midst of labor." The implication is to be still before Him and choose to release each burden to Him. How? When the kids are screaming and on your last nerve, put on some praise music and dance your stress away. Meditate on His Word when you are confused and afraid. Pray as you do the laundry. List your blessings as you clean house. Look for His hand in every part of every circumstance. Our Father does not intend for us to carry the burdens He alone can shoulder.

Jesus understands the burdens we carry. During His time on earth, Jesus healed the sick and set the captives free. He established the Church, sent the Holy Spirit to teach us and took His rightful place at the right hand of the Father. The church works on His behalf to help us. The Holy Spirit indwells us in order to guide and comfort us and Jesus Himself intercedes for us with the Father. So when Jesus said "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest," He really meant it.

What burden do you have? What is weighing you down? Bring it to Jesus. He will comfort and guide you. He will give you rest. Right now, in the midst of that worry or issue or concern, the God of the universe is asking you to turn it over to Him. Let Him work it out in His timing and His perfect way.

Let's Pray

Lord, I bring my burdens to You, knowing that I can do nothing apart from You and Your power. You know my situation. It is not a surprise to You, Lord. Please fill my heart with Your peace and comfort my soul. Guide me, Father. Give me strength. I give You my burdens; please give me Your rest.In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Read and memorize Matthew 11:28. Record it in your journal. Identity the areas in your life in which you need peace and rest.

Make a list of burdens that you will lay down at His feet and leave there. When you are tempted to pick up one of those burdens, choose instead to meditate on and walk in the truths of Psalm 23, trusting your Shepherd every step of the way.

More from the Girlfriends

Looking for a Bible Study that is both practical and powerful? Check out Mary's E-Book Bible Studies. Each one includes a study guide that you can download for your personal use or for a small group study. Time: Friend or Foe will help you learn how to manage time and set goals.

Come As You Are is Mary's NEW Online Bible Study that begins September 26! The most common invitation offered by Jesus Christ is simply to "come." He doesn't ask us to fix what is wrong or expect us to clean up our lives. That is His responsibility. Jesus loves us just as we are and when we come to Him with a "yes" in our hearts, He lovingly transforms the broken places into beautiful scars of healing and new life. Enroll before October 1 and have access to all 2011 lessons. Need a friend? Connect with Mary on Facebook or throughemail.

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

"God works all things together for good."

"You were created for a purpose"

"God has a plan for your life."

What do you feel when you read these promises? Do you believe them, or do you sometimes question if they're true for you?

I've doubted, and I've believed.

Soon after I surrendered my life to Christ, I started struggling with painful things from my past that made me doubt God's promises. I wondered: If God loves me, why has He allowed so much pain in my life?

If He loved me, why did God allow my family to be broken by adultery and divorce, shattered by confusion and chaos, shaken by alcohol and drug addictions and so much more? And why didn't He stop me from the pain I brought on myself, or keep me from the darkness of depression?

One afternoon I got the courage to tell my friend Wanda about my doubts and questions. I remember how she didn't give me a pat answer, but looked at me with understanding in her eyes and told me she was sorry. Then she told me her story, which included many disappointments and heartbreaks. Yet, I didn't sense doubt or pain in her words. Instead, I sensed confidence and hope.

Turning the pages of her Bible to Jeremiah 29, Wanda read today's key verse as a promise to me: "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" (v. 11)

She then told me God wanted to heal the pain of my past and use what I'd experienced to pave the way to His plans for my future. But I didn't want God to use my pain or my past. How would any of it do anything good for anyone, especially me?

Have you ever felt that way or asked: "If God loves me, then why...?"

These are the kind of questions that can linger in our hearts when we've been wounded and disappointed. And hurts that aren't healed can lead to bitterness and bondage. Yet, in the security of a relationship with Jesus, God invites us to ask hard questions and look for answers that usher us into the depths of His redeeming love and healing power.

Can I whisper some hope into your heart today? If you are living and breathing, your purpose has not yet been fulfilled. No matter what you have done or what has been done to you, God does have a plan for your life.

So, how can you discover those plans? Let's read the premise that follows the promise in Jeremiah 29. After God declares He knows the plans He has for us, He says, "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (v.12-13)

We find God's plans when we surrender ours to Him each day. It's a moment by moment process of coming to Him, talking to Him, believing He listens and letting Him love us into a place of hope and healing.

God's love is not a quick-fix for our wounds, but it has the power to redeem and restore us into confident hope. When we allow the Holy Spirit poured out like Living water to go deep into our pain, He can heal our hearts from the inside out.

As we process the pain of our yesterdays and live through the disappointments of our todays, doubts may still creep up, threatening to steal our hope. But each time that happens, we can stop and seek God in that place. We can ask Him to show us His purpose by revealing what is true about who we are and what we have been through to make us start doubting.

Then we can ask Him to help us re-define our future, not through the filter of our past and pain, but through the power of His life-giving truth. And do you know what happens when we do that moment by moment, day by day, doubt by doubt? God tells us in Jeremiah 29:14, "I will be found by you...and will bring you back from captivity."

We find Him again and again. We find the One who longs to lead us out of captivity to our doubts into a place of freedom and hope. I know this is true because I have walked it, wrestled with it, resisted it and finally surrendered to it.

God's love is not only unfailing, it redeems and restores. His Truth cuts to the core of our struggles, bringing purpose to our pain, redemption from our past and hope for our future!

Lord, heal my hurts and give me hope as I learn to trust the plans You have for me. I'm coming to You and seeking You with all my heart today. Please set me free from my doubts and lead me into a place of confident hope. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Visit Renee's blog to learn a powerful way to process your pain with Jesus so you can fully experience His healing and hope! And enter to win A Confident Heart book and conference call. Find out more here.

When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries,you support the many areas of hope-giving ministry we provide at no cost.

Application Steps:Has the pain of your past ever made it hard for you to believe God's promises and plans for your future? What do you sense He wants to change in your perspective?

Reflections:God's love is not a quick-fix for our wounds, but it has the power to redeem and restore us into confident hope.

Wounded Healer: A great victory looks at first like defeat

Isaiah 53:3: He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.

In at least ten places, New Testament writers identify Jesus as the suffering servant. In one instance, Philip corrects an Ethiopian official who wonders if the servant refers to an ancient prophet (see Acts 8:26-35). Isaiah 49-55 includes vivid scenes of the servant's sufferings, predictions that find their fulfillment in Jesus' death on the cross.

Indeed this chapter reads almost like an eyewitness account of Jesus' last days on Earth, even though it was composed centuries before Christ's death ... The physical description-the Bible contains no other physical description of Jesus-is shocking. The servant "had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him" (Isaiah 53:2); he was "like one from whom people hide their faces." (Isaiah 53:3).

As this chapter foretells, Jesus did not open his mouth to answer his accusers at his trial. He left no descendants. He was cut off in the prime of life and, thanks to a gracious friend, was buried in a rich man's tomb. But that was not the end; after three days he saw the light of life.

Why the Servant Dies

According to Isaiah, the servant dies for a very specific purpose: "He was pierced for our transgressions" (Isaiah 53:5). He takes on pain for the sake of others, for our sakes. His wounds, an apparent defeat, make possible a great victory. His death seals a future triumph, a time when all that is wrong on Earth will be set right.

Isaiah 53 forms an underlying foundation for much New Testament theology. For example, verse 5 of this chapter claims that the servant's wounds heal us. The apostle Peter explains it this way: When Jesus died on the cross, his suffering and death "healed" us of our sins, enabling us to live for righteousness (see 1 Peter 2:24).

Convincing Proof

In addition, these detailed prophecies, recorded many centuries before Jesus' birth, offer convincing proof that God is revealing his plan for the ages through the ancient prophets. He has not permanently severed his covenant with the Jews. Rather, out of Jewish roots-King David's own stock-he will bring forth a new king, one like no other, to reclaim all the earth.

Life Question

Who in your life needs to hear about Jesus, the Messiah prophesied about here in Isaiah?

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About Me

I'm author of History in a Year by the Conservative Voice aka History of the World in a Year by the Conservative Voice.

I'm the Conservative Voice.

I'm looking to make contact with those who might use my skill.

I have an m-audio mobile pre amp fed by the audiotechnica 2041sp condensor mic pack. Prior to 15/4/06, I'd used a Shure sm-58 that required a nuclear blast to register a sound or the internal mic of my aged imac, which has a penchance to recording my breathing. I also used a Griffin itrip, until the community convinced me it was not hiding my talent as well as the other mics.

I am a Writer and an occasional Math Teacher (Sir, what's the occasion?). I like to sing, having no instrumental talent (cannot even clap in time, and yes, I'm aware singing badly IS obnoxious).

I have performed the finale to Les Miserables before an audience of 500. I have also sung before a similar audience (students, parents) renditions of 'I Will' (Beatles), 'Mr Cairo' (Jon Vangelis) and 'I am Australian' (Seekers). Now I seek another profession because the audience hates me ..